thompson cancer survival center has a department (yes, really) called the “center of excellence for treatment of barrett’s esophagus” that appears to be well regarded, in the medical community.  it’s located in knoxville, tn, of all places.

in doing some research, it seems that dr. overholt helped develop the barrx procedure and was one of the first licensees, post fda approval.  he has an almost cult following on the johns hopkins barrett’s discussion board.  taking all the overblown statements about how he walks on water, he does appear to head up a team of very high volume barrett’s specialists.

i contacted dr. overholt’s project director at the thompson cancer survival center.  she was really helpful and very knowledgeable.  i sent a copy of my pathology report and endoscopy report to her and she agreed to have dr. overholt review it, early next month.  she also said that i should pursue the barrx before the fundiplication.  she mentioned that the fundiplication can pinch the tissue at the bottom of the esophagus and obscure barrett’s / cancer cells that reappear, following the ablation.

it looks like i may be taking a trip back to the east coast.  maybe i’ll get out to graceland, as part of the trip.

here’s the fda approval (originally licensed under the name “stellartech”), including the new “halo 90″:

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf6/K060169.pdf (halo90)
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf5/K051168.pdf (halo360)
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf4/k041383.pdf (stellartech)